In the wake of the terror attack in London, security precautions have been increased to require ferry passengers between St. John and St. Thomas to show identification.
Both Transportation Services and Varlack Ventures are asking for IDs, the St. John Source reported. Some baggage being carried on the boats is also being screened, it was reported. Barges between the two islands are not requiring IDs because they carry fewer than 150 passengers.
Mel Vanderpool, identified as the head of the Homeland Security Office in the VIs, said precautions are necessary because it is only a matter of when, not if, a terrorist act occurs. "We already have terrorists living among us," he said, without offering details, the Source reported.
i don’t see what good checking I.D.s will do when boarding a ferry. When fying that info is cross-checked with terrorist lists and red flags are raised causing flights to be halted prior to take-off while the info is verified. What actions could possibly be taken on a ferry with information being gleaned from a driver’s licnese???? DHS doesn’t monitor them and no passenger manifest is created. Just another hassle.
Security in ferries are as important as on flights.